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USS Tantalus (NCC-1831)
The USS Tantalus (NCC-1831) was a Constitution class vessel which disappeared in 2270. The USS Tantalus was launched in 2268 under the command of Captain Robert "Jack" Lavender. Her five year mission was one of exploration. The Tantalus was named for the star system and Greek mythological figure of the same name. Tantalus stole ambrosia and the secrets of the gods and gave it to mortal man. He was subsequently punished with eternal damnation. In 2270, she was refitted with experimental phase technology on a classified mission for Starfleet Intelligence. She was subsequently lost near the Tau Ceti quadrant. The Truth Although the crew of the Tantalus appeared to be upstanding career officers, the truth was rather different. The senior members of the crew were haunted by personal demons, and the ship became a hotbed of intrigue and power play. Captain Lavender and his yeoman had formed a relationship by 2270. However, Yeoman Smith had also formed a relationship with Lieutenant Foster of the science division. The revelation of this drove Lavender into a fit of rage, and he arranged for Foster to be sent on a dangerous away mission to Abrams III. Foster was killed as a result of this action. Fate During her phase experiments, the Tantalus encountered the hellish dimension of the Redjac entities. The entities were lured by her experiment, as well as the personal intrigue of the crew. Through their interference, the crew grew increasingly mad, and random disappearances occurred throughout the ship. As the situation deteriorated, she was captured by the entities. The essence of the crew was trapped forever between normal space and their hell dimension, to be tortured and forced to relive their own personal damnation. The Tantalus would continue to haunt the stars, traveling throughout the galaxy seeking new souls to capture. Crew *'Captain Robert J. Lavender ' Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on January 9, 2233. Lavender was a charismatic and competent officer, who made a number of friends and political contacts throughout his career. His father, grandfather and great grandfather were all starship captains. His record was exemplary and his accomplishments were many. However, Lavender also doubted his value as an officer, fearing his rise to the captaincy was based on friends and appearance. In the pursuit of glory and recognition, Lavender was prone to recklessness. He was also a known womanizer. Lavender harbored resentment toward perceived enemies, and used his position as captain to deal with them as he saw fit. He was able to bury transgressions through charm and political clout. * 'Commander Thomas Fox ' Chief Science Officer. Born in Anchorage, Alaska on December 17, 2234. When Fox was 12, his father, sister and brother drowned off the coast of Alaska. Fox was the only survivor of the incident, and he carried a great deal of guilt. His mother remarried the following year to a verbally abusive alcoholic. He was soon abandoned, and spent his teenage years in a series of foster homes and living with an uncle. Fox was a young scientific prodigy, and entered Starfleet Academy at the age of 18. He was a loyal and dedicated Starfleet officer, and a confidant of Captain Lavender. He was extremely protective of the people under his command, but was also prone to social withdrawal. Fox was an exceedingly competent officer. His fulfillment was in his scientific work and duty to the ship. * 'Lt. Commander Hank DeSilva ' Chief Security Officer. Born on Mars on June 3, 2236. DeSilva became head of starship security following the death of his predecessor in 2268. He was the son of a Starfleet captain who expected him to follow in his footsteps. While still a minor, DeSilva accidentally killed a player on an opposing team during a rugby tournament. His record was sealed, and the incident was quietly covered up, allowing him to enter Starfleet Academy. He was nearly expelled a number of times as a result of fights and rowdiness. He required 5 years to graduate. Beneath a calm demeanor, DeSilva had a sense of humor. However, he was also prone to outbursts of anger, and intimidated those under his command as much as enemies. DeSilva was extremely competitive and unwilling to accept failure. Although his record of mission success was commendable, this resulted in the injury and deaths of many men under his command. While he personally lamented this, he saw them as unavoidable. DeSilva was xenophobic, and did not trust non-humans. * 'Doctor Zachary Ruttler ' Chief Medical Officer. Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina on September 8, 2236. Ruttler was a long time friend of Captain Lavender. As an older officer, Ruttler had gone through many tumultuous events in his life. He was argumentative and cynical, and distrusted technology. However, he was also generous and cared deeply for the crew and his patients. While his wife was pregnant, he had an affair with his nurse. His wife died in childbirth, and he never forgave himself for her loss. Ruttler drank heavily after her death. He raised one daughter alone, and was absent for much of her life. In order to earn credits for the family, he sold starship medical supplies on the black market and engaged in illegal operations. Their relationship soured, and in 2268 she died in a famine on an unnamed colony world. Ruttler spiraled into depression, and developed a cordrazine addiction. His work suffered as a result, leading to the death of at least one patient, which was quietly covered up by Captain Lavender. Ruttler was a descendant of Phillip Green. He felt guilt over the atrocities committed by his ancestor.